The present invention relates to agents protective against hepatopathy. More specifically, it relates to agents protective against hepatopathy containing Lentinus edodes mycelium extract.
Shiitake (Lentinus edodes) is a common edible mushroom in both Japan and China, and has been cultivated in Japan for around 300 years. The part of the mushroom used as food consists of the reproductive body, also referred to as the fruiting body of fungi, and which produces spores, while the vegetative body includes hyphae which produce mycelia extending into a growing area such as soil or logs.
Shiitake has long been said to have some effect for against a variety of diseases and symptoms, but it is only relatively recently that any pharmacological effect has been described. Various effects of Lentinus edodes mycelium extract are reported. These include: the inhibition of oncogenesis and the growth of transplanted tumor cells in the large bowel and liver and increased survival of animals in carcinogenesis experiments in rats and mice (N. Sugano et al., Cancer Letter, 27:1, 1985; Y. Suzuki et al., Journal of the Japan Society of Coloproctology, 43:178, 1990, etc.); mitogenic activity (T. Tabata et al., Immunopharmacology, 24:57, 1992; Y. Hibino et al., Immunopharmacology, 28:77, 1994, etc.); enhanced antibody production and inhibitory effects against immunological hepatocyte damage caused by ADCC (antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity) (Y. Mizoguchi et al., Journal of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Study, 15:127, 1987); and plant hormone effects such as promoted rooting or growth of crops (M. Mitsuhashi-Kato et al., Plant Cell Physiol., 26:221, 1985) or anti-plant virus effects (Y. Komuro et al., Reports of Plant Virus Research Group of the Japan Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, 1977).
An object of the present invention is to further explain the pharmacological actions of Lentinus edodes mycelium extract and to deduce new pharmaceutical or health care applications of Lentinus edodes mycelium extract.
As a result of detailed studies to solve the above problems, the present invention has been accomplished on the basis of the finding that Lentinus edodes mycelium extract shows a remarkable protective effect against drug-induced hepatopathy.
Accordingly, the present invention provides agents protective against drug-induced hepatopathy containing Lentinus edodes mycelium extract.
Agents protective against drug-induced hepatopathy of the present invention may be in the form of a composition for treating and/or preventing drug-induced hepatopathy comprising Lentinus edodes mycelium extract and optionally a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
Agents protective against drug-induced hepatopathy of the present invention may be in the form of either a food or a drink, but these forms are not limitative.
The present invention also provides methods for protecting against drug-induced hepatopathy comprising administering Lentinus edodes mycelium extract.
In addition the present invention also provides uses of Lentinus edodes mycelium extract for the preparation of a agent protective against drug-induced hepatopathy.